The invention relates to a lock system with a function controlling mechanism for controlling the lock states “unlocked”, “locked” and where applicable “theft-secured” as well as “child lock”, which is characterised by very short times for controlling the desired locking states and good suitability to various requirements with regard to construction space and functionality.
In the case of motor vehicles having a so-called passive-entry function in which the locking of the lock is carried out not by a key but by an interrogation as to authorised status initiated by operating the external door opener followed by motorised unlocking of the lock, it may not be possible for the door to be opened immediately because the lock cannot be unlocked quickly enough. It is indeed fundamentally possible to shorten the operating time of the lock by using more powerful and faster drives but this involves a greater expense of materials and thus higher costs.
DE 196 27 246 A1 provides a motor vehicle door lock which can occupy different function positions. By means of a lift magnet, additional security is provided whereby the lift magnet at the same time serves for rapid release of the lock wherein the locking elements of the lock are moved from the “theft-proof” state to the “unlocked” state. The lift magnet is controlled by actuating the external door opener and in the shortest possible time produces a closed force chain for transferring the operating force whereby the elements moved by the lift magnet are part of the force chain.
This approach has the drawback that the lift magnet has to be made relatively powerful in order to be able to ensure a sufficiently fast movement of the masses which are to be moved. This involves large structural sizes inconsistent with a space-saving compact design.